Sealing device for gas-meters.



No. 790,142. PATENTED MAY 16', 1905, J. LIGHETTI.

SEALING- DEVICE FOR GAS METERS.

' APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 2.1905.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SEALINGDEVICE FOR GAS-METERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,142, dated May 16, 1905. Application filed February 2,1905. $erial No. 243,891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs LIOHETTI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sealing Devices for Gas-Meters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use. the same.

' This invention relates to sealing devices for gas-meters; and the principal object of the same is to provide means for preventing unauthorized persons from tampering with the meter connections in order that they may obtain gaswithout due registration upon the meter.

Another object is to provide a simple and eflicient device for preventing the uncoup ling of the meter from the supply-pipes without breaking a seal and indicating that the meter has been tampered with surreptitiously.

These objects are attained by means of the construction illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which p Figure 1 is a side view of a gas-meter, showing the supply-pipes connected thereto in the usual manner and showing my protector or sealing device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one member of my sealing device. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same.

Referrmg to the drawings for a more particular description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a gas-meter of the usual construction, and 2 is the inlet-pipe, and 3 the outlet or supply pipe leading therefrom. The usual screw-threaded coupling or nuts 4 are used for coupling the meter to the pipes 2 3. In order to prevent dishonest persons from disconnecting the meter from the supply-pipe andconnecting a hose to the inlet and outlet pipes 2 3 to use gas without reglstering the same on the meter-dial, I have provided a protector comprising two members, each provided with a pocket or spanner 5 for the nut or coupling device and an arm 6, ex-

tending inward from said nut-pocket and provided with a 'rabbeted and perforated end 7.

Two of these protectors are used, and the coupling-nuts 2 3 are fitted in the pockets 5, the two rabbeted ends being brought together where the perforations 7 a are made to register. Inserted in the perforations 7 a is a soft-metal sealing material 7*, which is firmly pressed together with a sealing-press, so that any attempt to uncouple the meter will be indicated by the breakage or mutilation of said seals. It will be noticed that the rear wall of the protector-pocket conforms substantially to the contour of the said face of the nut or LA device for preventing the'surreptitious tampering with gas-meters which consists in a pair of protectors consisting of pockets or spanners to inclose the coupling-nuts of the meter, and arms on said pockets, said arms being provided with registering perforations, and a soft-metal sealing material passing through said registering perforations and compressed, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described the two-part protector comprising arms having nut-pockets'at their outer ends said arms being recessed and provided with a pair of registering perforations at their inner ends, and a sealing material passed through said perforations and sealed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES LIOHETTI.

Witnesses JosEPH W. SHANNON, JAMES F. BOYLAN. 

